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China Kadoorie Biobank

The China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) is set up to investigate the main genetic and environmental causes of common chronic diseases in the Chinese population.

During 2004-8, over 510,000 adults were recruited from 10 geographically defined regions of China, with extensive data collection by questionnaire and physical measurements, and with long-term storage of blood samples for future study. All the participants are now being closely monitored for death and other health-related outcomes through linkage with established registries and health insurance databases in the study areas.

The China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) is a powerful resource for investigating the main causes of many common chronic diseases, and the information generated will advance our understanding of disease aetiology in China and in other countries.

The CKB is being conducted jointly by the Clinical Trial Service Unit & Epidemiological Studies Unit (CTSU) in the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. It is led by an International Steering Committee. Professor Zhengming Chen in Oxford and Professor Liming Li in Beijing are the study’s principal investigators.

CKB was established with funding support to CTSU from the Kadoorie Charitable Foundation in Hong Kong. The long-term continuation of the study is supported by Wellcome, with further support in China from the Chinese Natural Science Foundation and Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology. The UK Medical Research Council, British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK also provide core funding to CTSU for the project.